Busch Gardens Williamsburg Project 2023: DarKoaster (Multi-Lap Intamin Straddle Coaster)

Register or Login to Hide This Ad for Free!
Status
The first entry in this thread is a WikiPost. As such, it can be edited by anyone with the appropriate permissions.
Not open for further replies.

Important Articles:​


Animated Pre-Creation:​

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Direct Link to Embedded Media Source

Major Updates:​

 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Reactions: Mr. Porkchop and chevyhd17
Click to expand...
So the legend continues where at a fall festival in Germany (that looks suspiciously like a certain hamlet of a certain theme park) a young couple (or siblings? It's never been all that clear) who run a car tour operation nearby discovers a treehouse built into the village's abandoned castle. Headed into the castle to check it out (and passing ruins of what once were creepy statues and an overgrown but dying hedge maze), they are reminded of why the castle was abandoned - something about a deranged king with no known heirs who murdered a lot of people then mysteriously vanished; his estate was far too small to afford the castle upkeep even though legally it was his family's in perpetuity.

Upon reaching the tree with the treehouse, they find a staircase leading up as well as a well-worn path through the aforementioned hedge maze that appears to head into the actual castle.

The couple (or siblings) split up - Gunter to the treehouse and Gerta to the castle.

Upon reaching the castle, Gerta finds what appears to be a rusted sleigh next to a caved-in outbuilding that may once have been a greenhouse, just in front of a wall that blocks her from reaching the entrance. She gets into the sleigh to try to climb over the wall, only to slip and fall onto a seat. As soon as she does, the sleigh starts moving and a disembodied voice tells her that as long as she stays in the sleigh she will remain protected from (insert scary German folklore creatures) whom have taken up residence in the castle - the sleigh will take her to safety.

With nothing else to do, Gerta holds on tight... to what appears to be a weapon in a holster. As the sleigh increases speed and seems to be gaining altitude, she picks up the weapon - just in time too as (German creatures) begin their attack. The voice tells her to fire - it will help keep the (German creatures) at bay.

The sleigh is starting to wind around the castle in the air, dodging trees and dipping near the ground where needed (narrowly missing taking out headstones in the overgrown castle graveyard, presumably including the king and his family). The (German creatures) are unrelenting and seem to be forcing the sleigh closer into the castle - Gunter starts shouting at the sleigh as it gets close that it's gonna crash; Gerta yells at him to jump in when it gets close enough. He does, landing into the back row - the sleigh rocks with the force of his fall and thus smacks into a few branches forcing it through an upstairs window of the castle.

Gerta yells at Gunter to grab a gun, as the voice tells them to be prepared for a (much larger, scarier German folklore creature) has taken residence and is hungry for their (human) desserts. However, help is on the way - the spirits of deceased party guests have reawakened and can help stave off the beast as long as you don't shoot them.

Gunter, through the vantage point he had in the treehouse, tells Gerta that the castle entrance is on the other side - if they can make it through they should be ok.

The sleigh continues through a few rooms with the (smaller creatures) still attacking and the couple (siblings) shooting - various ghostly apparitions float by in the background but don't appear to be interested in the action.

Eventually, they arrive at a great hall which has the front door on the other side. It appears they've almost made it out when the big bad wolf-like creature leaps down the grand staircase at them. With the couple (siblings) firing away, the ghosts start forming more human shapes and block the beast from advancing - the duo continues to shoot where they can find a gap, forcing the beast to step backwards into a roaring fireplace, burning and shattering into dust in seconds.

The sleigh bursts into the open air, having diverted from the door and through another window off to the side. The voice returns for the last time thanking the couple (siblings) for their help. It also mentions they are the voice of the last true monarch to rule in the castle and for their help will pass the property to the two - however much they each contributed to ridding the castle of (creatures/beast) will be how much the voice (monarch) will be able to provide for restoring the castle.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Coasternerd, Ryan, sereniv and 3 others
Wonder if this could end up some family roller coaster with a dark ride element a la Wonder Mountain Guardian
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mwe BGW
madmax said:
Wonder if this could end up some family roller coaster with a dark ride element a la Wonder Mountain Guardian
Click to expand...

Maybe, but I think that ride has more space to work with? If they did, though, it'd have to a much more cohesive and immersive story with a layout that makes sense and allows for all guests to participate (assuming there's still a shooting element).

From watching the YouTube reviews, there's probably a good reason CF didn't move forward with implementing something similar at their other parks...

Which also means KD didn't get one thus leaving an opening for BGW if they want to take it.
 
qdeathstar said:
I’d rather have a giga than something like dark castle. I rode it once or twice. It was meh.

I honestly can say I like Tempesto better than darkastle.
Click to expand...
That would be two event centers near each other with seasonal use.. the Darkastle building and the new FHP project in the same section of the park. Darkastle was a major family attraction too and great way too cool off on a hot day. BGW and SEAS were most likely to replace such a popular attraction sooner than later. Add Pantheon 2022 on top of it the park is making great moves.
 
The sad part about this is no matter how this plays out, I know I am going to be disappointed considering the shoes to fill are absolutely massive. A quality original story, awesome ride technology (for its time), and fantastic physical sets are a thing I don't see the park even attempting to pull off, much less attempting and succeeding. Honestly the EVO dark ride (whichever evolution you look at) is such an unrivaled ride system to me that any direction they take this will be just a reopening of a wound for me personally. Creativity in parks is something that means a lot to me, and no other ride system offers the limitless blank canvas for people to just unload their visions onto quite like a trackless motion sim dark ride does. Not to mention the level of accessibility across all ages.

I don't expect anyone to agree with me really, and I am glad something will finally fill this space. I am just really struggling to get excited for something that would have to be mind blowing for me to be glad it exists over its predecessor. Entirely a personal issue and not really my "stance" on the subject, but that is where my head is at on this one. For the longest time I was so excited to get news of something being done inside this building, and now that it is realistically something on the docket, that excitement that should stem from my brain wildly considering all of the possible things they can build in this space is nonexistent since every item my brain considers is cataloged as "that would be a cool ride, but nowhere near as good as it was".
 
  • Like
Reactions: musicman3204, tursiops, lightninlady and 5 others
Ice said:
The sad part about this is no matter how this plays out, I know I am going to be disappointed considering the shoes to fill are absolutely massive. A quality original story, awesome ride technology (for its time), and fantastic physical sets are a thing I don't see the park even attempting to pull off, much less attempting and succeeding. Honestly the EVO dark ride (whichever evolution you look at) is such an unrivaled ride system to me that any direction they take this will be just a reopening of a wound for me personally. Creativity in parks is something that means a lot to me, and no other ride system offers the limitless blank canvas for people to just unload their visions onto quite like a trackless motion sim dark ride does. Not to mention the level of accessibility across all ages.

I don't expect anyone to agree with me really, and I am glad something will finally fill this space. I am just really struggling to get excited for something that would have to be mind blowing for me to be glad it exists over its predecessor. Entirely a personal issue and not really my "stance" on the subject, but that is where my head is at on this one. For the longest time I was so excited to get news of something being done inside this building, and now that it is realistically something on the docket, that excitement that should stem from my brain wildly considering all of the possible things they can build in this space is nonexistent since every item my brain considers is cataloged as "that would be a cool ride, but nowhere near as good as it was".
Click to expand...

I think the majority thought the same thing about the Wolf's departure. Busch Gardens does a fantastic job of immediately creating a nostalgia and a character that comes with a ride. Verbolten is very different than the Big Bad Wolf but it does a great job of embracing a unique character.

I think my problem stems from the fact that the building facade for DarKastle is going to remain, and that was unique to that specific dark ride. If the building is going to remain the same, I think the new ride should embrace the old nostalgia that came with the story of DarKastle.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Coasternerd, Griffbolten, Nicole and 4 others
AIR said:
I think the majority thought the same thing about the Wolf's departure. Busch Gardens does a fantastic job of immediately creating a nostalgia and a character that comes with a ride. Verbolten is very different than the Big Bad Wolf but it does a great job of embracing a unique character.

I think my problem stems from the fact that the building facade for DarKastle is going to remain, and that was unique to that specific dark ride. If the building is going to remain the same, I think the new ride should embrace the old nostalgia that came with the story of DarKastle.
Click to expand...
Yeah but...........Verbolten replacing Wolf was all planned and started pre-seas. Gotta remember things are different at the top now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Coasternerd, Alf33, Nicole and 1 other person
AIR said:
I think the majority thought the same thing about the Wolf's departure. Busch Gardens does a fantastic job of immediately creating a nostalgia and a character that comes with a ride. Verbolten is very different than the Big Bad Wolf but it does a great job of embracing a unique character.
Click to expand...
I personally never felt like we lost out hugely since Wolf was a coaster, it was pretty simple to replace a coaster. Sure, I miss Wolf, but I welcomed what new coaster was down the pipeline, and that is the kicker here. I can't sit here and welcome the next motion-sim Florida-esque dark ride with open arms because in all reality, there isn't going to be a next one. Even if they go the dark ride route, I would be stunned if it is anything different than a vastly cheaper attraction with the get-out-of-jail-free card that is creating a shooter ride since it is way easier to execute a half decent shooter than an immersive story.

I am not necessarily saying that every ride that is removed should both be replaced by a similar caliber ride and the exact same type of ride since obviously a park would just stagnate. But the level of uniqueness previously achieved by what occupied this space was so extremely admirable, it will be such a huge task to really make what can be written down as a suitable and worthy replacement. And if the past 5 years of BGW's history are any indication, they are not up for a task of that magnitude, no matter what you see as the root of their problems.

Sorry for being the resident scrooge when it comes to new attractions here, but this is probably the subject where the last couple ounces of my passion for this park resides. Since SEAS/BGW/whoeveryouwannablame has managed to squeeze that metaphorical rag dry.
 
  • Like
  • Sad
Reactions: Ziva, SLC Headache and Nicole
Re: Jonesta6's post, if they can pull off the story well and combine that with making Verbolten's show building not suck, then I will forgive Verbolten for existing.

CoasterAuditor said:
I wonder what a theme park would look like if the executives were like "we could build a family dark ride but those are super lame lets build a 300-400 footer as that would be cheaper to maintain to look good and easier to market"
Click to expand...
Altered your quote, but this is what I fear SEAS thought processes are.
 
Last edited:
  • Dislike
  • Haha
Reactions: qdeathstar and Jonesta6
Status
The first entry in this thread is a WikiPost. As such, it can be edited by anyone with the appropriate permissions.
Not open for further replies.
Consider Donating to Hide This Ad